Chapter 159:
"What a pity."
Hearing Orochimaru's explanation, the Third Hokage shook his head with a sigh.
If it had no use outside of the Uchiha clan, then this potion truly had limited value.
Orochimaru had explained the basics of genetic inheritance to the Third Hokage and others back when he developed the strengthening serum, so they had a general understanding of it.
The Sharingan of the Uchiha clan was a bloodline limit, deeply tied to spiritual power. This power was embedded within their genes, lying dormant due to bloodline factors. It could only be awakened when stimulated by intense spiritual energy.
The purpose of Orochimaru's potion was to activate that spiritual energy within the Uchiha bloodline, allowing their latent power to surface temporarily, triggering the awakening of their Sharingan. However, it did not actually increase one's mental strength.
For regular individuals without a bloodline inheritance like the Sharingan, using this potion would just induce a rush of spiritual energy with no tangible benefit. In fact, it would be an uncomfortable experience, akin to stirring up emotions with no purpose, like grieving for a loss that hadn't occurred.
In short, only the Uchiha could make use of it, and even the Hyuga clan had no need. Their Byakugan was a direct genetic inheritance that didn't require any mental stimulation to awaken; they simply cultivated it naturally.
After listening to Orochimaru's full explanation, the four leaders of Konoha fell silent, lost in thought.